This application claims the priority of German patent document No. 101 37 632.4, filed Aug. 3, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for finding a location in a digital map.
German Patent Document DE 197 50 786 C2 discloses a process and an apparatus of the generic type, for finding a location in a digital map. For this purpose, a map element that is to be found (comprising a location indicated in geographical coordinates, and additional information) is compared with map elements of the digital map stored in a reference data file, and the element to be found is determined by means of a plausibility check.
In European Patent Document EP 1 020 832 A1, a process is described for finding special map elements—objects—in a digital map. Objects are map elements indicated according to the, principles of object-oriented modeling and consist of a location and additional attributes. An object is precisely part of an object class, which may include several additional objects. For finding the object to be found, a search area is generated around its location. The object to be found is determined by the comparison of the attributes of the object to be found with the attributes of all objects of the search area which are part of the object class of the object to be found.
For the transmission of traffic information via RDS/TMC (Radio Data System/Traffic Message Channel) and its assignment to geographical locations, reference tables are used which assign a code to a location. The traffic messages are then transmitted together with the code and, in the vehicle, as a result of the assignment to a geographical location indicated in the reference table, are assigned to this location in the digital map. In this process, information can only be assigned to locations which exist together with a code in the reference table. The sender and the recipient must have the identical reference table available which simultaneously has to be updated. A code permits no conclusion concerning the geographical position of the location.
Another process for finding locations is the Global Telematics Standard (GATS). GATS was developed for the transmission of traffic information specifically in GSM networks. For the GATS process, GATS geocodes are defined which are comparable to the codes from the RDS/TMC. The GATS process also operates in a table-oriented manner. The tables of the GATS process can be updated “in the continuous operation”, and the GATS geocode permits conclusions concerning the position of the map element to be found. The number of map elements which can be found is limited by the geocode coordinate system. On the sender side, the tables have to be regularly updated and the GATS geocodes of the map elements have to be partially automatically coupled with the objects of the digital maps. So far, GATS geocodes have been defined only in Germany.
Normally, locations on digital maps are indicated in geographical coordinates, thus in longitudinal and latitudinal data. The indication of geographical coordinates, however, may not be precise enough under certain circumstances because map elements, such as street intersections, junctions, etc. may be assigned to different locations on different digital maps, which may also change, for example, when the map is updated.
One object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the initially mentioned type, in which a location can be found in a precise manner in a digital map.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the process according to the invention, in which a second coordinate system is defined and the coordinate data for the location to be found are determined in the second coordinate system. The second coordinate system is then located in the digital map; the coordinate data of the location to be found is entered in the second coordinate system, so that the location is therefore found in the digital map. By a suitable selection of the second coordinate system, certain error sources can be avoided when finding the location because, for example, systematic errors of the map, such as an offset of the map as a whole, can be compensated. In addition, the information can be transmitted in a compact manner with respect to a limited transmission medium and is generic, that is, relates only to map contents and is independent of other codes or defined data models or structures.
The second coordinate system is suitably defined by a point of reference, specifically the origin of the coordinate system, and additional information.
In a further embodiment of the process, additional information is stored relative to the locations in the digital map. This information comprises streets, intersections, road types, bridges, hotels, sights, restaurants, banks, gas stations, etc. Map elements comprise locations and additional information.
The process can be implemented advantageously in that the second coordinate system is defined by a map element. The location of the map element of the digital map is then selected as the point of reference of the additional coordinate system, and additional information of the map element defines the remainder of the coordinate system. Ideally, a map element is selected in this case which represents an essential element for the purpose-related utilization of the map, and which relates to the map element to be found. In this case it can be assumed (with high probability) that the map element whose locations form the point of reference already exists in the digital map.
Advantageously, the locations to be found are stored in a table and/or another digital map. In the table and/or the additional digital map, the location is determined which is to be found in the digital map. An implementation possibly consists of storing the locations stored in the table and/or the additional digital map already in the second coordinate system, in which case, each location, relative to a defined second coordinate system may be stored with a certain second point of reference, or all locations may be stored relative to the same second coordinate system. Another possible implementation consists of only, during the selection of a location in the table and/or the additional digital map, transforming this location correspondingly into an advantageous second coordinate system.
Another advantageous embodiment of the process is used if the map element, which defines the second coordinate system, is not present in the map. In this case, the map element, which forms the second coordinate system, is transferred from the additional digital map into the digital map. Thus, it can be ensured that the second coordinate system is always present in the digital map.
In an advantageous further embodiment, for finding map elements, the additional information of the map element is compared. In this case, a location of interest to the user or a map element of interest to the user can be determined in the table and/or the additional digital map, and can then be found in the digital map. For example, when the user searches for a hotel; one or more locations with the additional hotel information is determined in the table and/or in the additional digital map. When it is found in the digital map, it is optionally provided with the up-to-date information of the map element from the table and/or the additional digital maps. It may also be processed, for example, visually highlighted. It is advantageous to proceed in the same manner when in step c) the search takes place for the map element which forms the second coordinate system.
An advantageous embodiment of the invention also permits the assignment of map elements in the digital map which were previously absent in the digital map. For this purpose, the map element in question is searched in the digital map. If it is found, it is, for example, supplemented, updated, visually highlighted or processed in a different suitable manner. If, however, it is not found in the digital map, it is transferred from the additional digital map to the digital map and is stored there. This permits the interaction of digital maps of different production dates, different relevances and mainly the assignment of dynamic map elements which are present only temporarily, for example, events, such as concerts, festivals or traffic jams.
In addition, it is advantageous to use the found location or the found map element as a destination or intermediate destination for a navigation system. Thus, the navigation system can carry out a route computation to the found location or the found map element, and the user has the increased comfort that he obtains a routing to the destination or the intermediate destination and does not have to find the route himself, possibly in an unfamiliar environment.
If the additional coordinate system is selected to be one-dimensional, the location to be found can be found by indicating a single coordinate. In addition to the coordinate, the one-dimensional reference coordinate system has to be indicated, whose location and additional information (for example, the direction) will then be the defining elements of the additional coordinate system. In this manner, by indicating compact information which, when transmitted by way of a medium with a low transmission capacity, is to be transmitted in a rapid and low-cost manner, a location can be found precisely in a digital map.
Advantageously, the additional one-dimensional coordinate system is defined by a map element. Two-dimensional map elements, such as edges, are particularly useful because, by their nature, edges have a location and a direction which then become the determining elements of the additional coordinate system. On digital maps used for the purpose of navigation, roads are represented as edges and intersections are represented as nodes. Thus, for these digital maps, edges are an essential element of the utilization purpose because a route is constructed from them, which leads a vehicle to a defined destination.
This results in another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention. If the edge, which is the defining map element of the additional coordinate system, is selected such that it is situated on a calculated route of a vehicle, it is also certain to exist in the digital map, or has been transferred there in the course of the route computation. Thus, it is ensured that the additional coordinate system refers to a known relevant map system which is present in the digital map without any additional expenditures. It neither has to be specially generated for the additional coordinate system, nor is it superfluous in the digital map because it is required for its intended purpose, which is the routing.
Furthermore, the selection of an edge as a defining element of the additional coordinate system has the advantage that the edge can be selected such that the location to be found can be reached by way of this edge. Thus, in addition to the information concerning the location to be found, information is also available as to how such location can be reached. This is particularly advantageous when used in connection with a navigation system, because its facilitates the computation of the route to the location to be found as a destination or as an intermediate destination.
For a more precise finding of the location in the digital map, in a possible improved embodiment of the process, a search area can be performed around the approximate location, for the matching locations. When searching for the map elements, the additional information concerning the map elements in the search area is compared for this purpose with the additional information of the map element that is to be found and, in the case of a conformity or a high degree of conformity, the decision is made that the searched element was found.
By using an object-oriented data model to indicate the map elements, the advantages of the object orientation, such as the flexibility, clear structuring, defined interfaces, reusability, openness for expansions, etc. can be utilized. In this case, an object which represents a map element consists of a location and additional attributes. An object that is exactly part of an object class can consist of several additional objects.
For finding an object in a search area of the digital map, attributes of the objects which are situated in the search area and belong to the same class as the object that is to be found are compared with the attributes of the object to be found and, in the case of a conformity of the attributes or of a high degree of conformity, the object to be found is thereby determined.
The system according to the invention comprises a first memory for storing the digital map, a second memory for storing the table and/or the second digital map, and at least one processor for implementing the process according to the invention. The first memory is arranged in a vehicle and the digital map stored therein is used also for other purposes, particularly for navigation and for displaying the map in the vehicle. The system also comprises a user interface which can be constructed visually and/or acoustically. As a result of the visual user interface, the map can, for example, be displayed for the purpose of navigation and/or the user can operate the system by destination inputs, by means of desired intermediate destinations and/or desired destination or intermediate destination categories.
In an embodiment of the invention, the second memory may be arranged in the vehicle. It may, for example, be a portable removable storage element with current data which the user brings with him into the vehicle and uses in connection with the first memory in the vehicle (and particularly in connection with the navigation system existing in the vehicle). The user has, for example, purchased the storage medium beforehand, for example, in preparation for a trip, or he has downloaded the current data from another medium, such as the Internet. This embodiment is operable also without a control center, without communication devices and thus without any infrastructure, which permits a design of the system which is reasonable in price.
Particularly advantageously, the system can be supplemented by the interaction of the vehicle-side system and a control center because current data can always be requested by the control center, and changed travel plans can also be taken into account. The communication with the control center takes place by communication devices.
In an embodiment of the system, maneuvering information of the navigation system is emitted by way of the visual and/or acoustic user interface in the vehicle. It is possible for the route computation to take place in the vehicle, which permits autonomous operation of the vehicle system. Route computation in the control center, on the other hand, has the advantage that the most current data are always available in the control center, on the basis of which the route can then be calculated. When, for example, the control center is overloaded, so that communication is not possible, etc., autonomous operation of the vehicle-side system is most advantageous. If the digital map in the vehicle is outdated, it is recommended that the route computation be carried out on the basis of the current data in the control center. The determination as to whether the computation of the route should take place in the control center or in the vehicle, or partially in the vehicle and partially in the control center can be made dynamically according to the situation, taking into account marginal conditions. This may take place, for example, when the communication connection to the control panel ceases.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.